Andhra Pradesh - Guntur   

Shifting of Praja Patham venue irks residents

Staff Reporter

Two nodal officials taken hostage; SI secures their release

GUNTUR: Shifting of the venue of Praja Patham programme from Dalit Colony to ST Colony at Venigalla village in Guntur district led to protests from residents of the Dalit Colony who took nodal officials - Mandal Development Officer and Special Officer - hostage on Thursday.

Tadikonda MLA Dokka Manikya Vara Prasada Rao and Congress MLC candidate Rayapati Srinivas participated in the programme organised at ST Colony and left the village at 1 p.m.

When the nodal officers went to the Dalit Colony, they were taken hostage as the villagers felt that since sarpanch Bulla Guravaiah was from the TDP the MLA avoided the programme in their colony.

MLA blamed

Pedakakani Sub-Inspector G. Lakshmaiah went to the village and rescued the officials. He told the villagers that he would arrest them for obstructing Government officials from discharging their duties. Irate villagers then followed the SI to the police station and sat in a dharna from 6 p.m. till late into the night, seeking an explanation from the MLA and the officials for not conducting the programme in their colony.

TDP district president Prathipati Pulla Rao, former Minister J.R. Pushparaj and CPI(M) district secretary D. Rama Devi and KVPS leader Bandla Kantha Rao were sitting in the dharna in front of the police station till reports last came in.

Charge denied

The Tadikonda MLA came to the police station and said that he did not know the programme was scheduled at Dalit Colony and followed the instruction of officials and had no intention to insult the TDP sarpanch. The villagers then questioned as to why the officials had come to the Dalit Colony where hundreds of villagers were waiting if the programme was not scheduled there?

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